Specialist Programs

Environmental Science Education

The environmental science program at Hollis Primary School is a unique learning opportunity in that it allows students a range of hands-on active learning opportunities.  Throughout the school year the seasonally-appropriate lessons foster observation, investigation, experimentation, allow students a chance to put theories into practice.  This evolving program incorporates many of the states' Grade Level Expectations for Life Science instruction and our curriculum aims to establish a foundation by which students can base their future understandings about nature and gives students a chance to think about how their actions as a citizen can have a positive or negative impact on the natural world.  Environmental Science students are responsible for recycling at school, planting and maintaining Turtle Island our beautiful outdoor classroom and garden and composting.

Physical Education
Here at the primary school our philosophy in physical education is centered around each student developing a greater appreciation for physical activity through exploratory, guided discovery and directly taught movement experiences. As children progress and are successful, they continually encounter challenges which improve their movement skill and allow them to function confidently and cooperatively in physical activity.

Music Education

Please select the link above for more information on our music education program.

Technology Integration

Technology Integration allows students and teachers to learn, explore, collaborate and create using a variety of technology tools in the classroom. Integration engages students in both problem based and project based learning.  Technology is used to enhance core curriculum areas and to nurture students through learning activities that require critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication.

The Technology Integrator researches, trains, encourages and supports both teachers and students in the most effective tech resources available and how  to use them successfully to enrich and deepen learning.  Foundation skills such as logging in, using a mouse and a keyboard, using a web browser,  word processing and digital citizenship are introduced, practiced and reviewed with all students.

The Learning Commons at HPS is home to the Tech Integrator and is a welcoming and peaceful environment for students and teachers to work independently or collaborate in small groups on projects and activities that involve technology.  The Technology Integrator facilitates and supports student and teacher use of technology in the Learning Commons Lab as well as in the classroom.

Library Skills Education 

With a space that is three classrooms long, a collection of over fourteen thousand titles, and a full computer lab, our media center is a very busy place.  Classes visit each week for stories, activities, instruction, and book browsing.  Also, our doors are always open to individual students any time they have an information need or are ready for a new book to read.  We offer a wide variety of fiction, nonfiction, picture books, biographies, and audio books.  We even have a few Nook e-readers that our third graders may check out.  Our goal is for students to become independent learners so instruction focuses on making good book choices, research skills such as being able to use the library catalog or an encyclopedia, and computer skills such as logging on to the school network or gathering information from an approved online site.  We also make sure we take time to just enjoy many of the great stories and great illustrations that are available in our collection.